Jump rope team wows the crowd in Newmarket

NEWMARKET — It was not like skipping rope in the school yard of the old days.

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By Susan Nolan

seacoastonline.com

By Susan Nolan

Posted Jan. 29, 2013 at 2:00 AM

By Susan Nolan
Posted Jan. 29, 2013 at 2:00 AM

» Social News

NEWMARKET — It was not like skipping rope in the school yard of the old days.

Newmarket Elementary School Hot Shots' annual show Sunday was more like a jump-rope version of "Dancing With The Stars."

With the kids jumping their individual ropes inside double-Dutch ropes and others doing cartwheels into the swinging ropes — precision, coordination and showmanship were hallmarks of the 24th annual jump rope extravaganza.

The polished jumpers bowed and waved to the crowd as they finished their routines to music by groups including The Beatles, The Monkees and The Beach Boys.

"It's fabulous because it gives us exercise and it's fun," said Finlay McGuirk, 7, a second-grader and one of the 179 students in Sunday's show.

Newmarket's team is an official American Heart Association Jump Rope For Heart demonstration team, sending out student-performers to schools across Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine.

The Hot Shots, ranging from first-graders to fifth-graders, showed off their stuff at Sunday's show to a standing-room-only crowd of more than 600 jammed into the Newmarket Junior/Senior High School gym.

"It's great to see all the jumpers' hard work and teamwork come together for this performance," said Nancy Miller, Newmarket's elementary gym teacher, who has been coaching the team for more than 20 years.

"Jump rope can act as a springboard to build students' self-confidence and their physical confidence and let them know that they can try new things and be successful, even if there are some misses along the way," Miller said.

"It gives them confidence to try new sports, get up in front of others and present material, whether it is reading in front of their class, performing or playing a new sport," she said.

Fifth-grader Desirae Sostak, 10, agreed. "I've learned that when you try your best, you can do anything," she said.

Confidence seemed to exude from many of the team members.

"Because we do it a lot, I don't have stage fright," said fifth-grader Kathryn "Katie" Day, 11. "I really feel proud because I get to show off my skills and I get to inspire other kids to try difficult skills."

The crowd's applause was deafening at times, as they cheered on the Hot Shots.

The children were beaming.

"I really like doing it," said second-grader Molly Fabrizio, 7. "It's really fun. You don't have to practice, but you can if you want to."

Miller and fellow teacher-coaches Joanne Lazarus, (another) Nancy Miller and Kerry Sullivan encourage the kids to practice as much as they want. There are no tryouts and no one is excluded. Those who master the techniques can join the demonstration team that travels to other schools.

Lazarus, who coaches the second-graders, said her biggest joy is to watch the children's skills progress.

"I've got a kid who couldn't get into the ropes, and now he's doing a yo-yo trick while jumping double-Dutch," she said.